Aer Lingus is offering a ridiculously good luxury package for a week's vacation in Ireland but hurry, you need to book by October 9.

The new fare is $499 and includes - are you sitting down? - six nights deluxe accommodation at a villa at The Heritage Golf & Spa in County Laois, a week's car rental and of course, the all-important seat on the plane.

The Heritage is a five-star spa and golf resort nestled in the Slieve Bloooms in Killenard in County Laois. It's pretty much the perfect place to check in and just chill out.

Golf-lovers will appreciate the course which was designed by Seve Ballesteros and Jeff Howes while the rest of us will enjoy the whisper-quiet comfort of the luxury spa.

The spa contains 20 suites which offer a samarium, tepdiarium, caldarium, steam bath, rustic sauna cabin, open air hydro therapy pool, foot baths, experience showers and an ice fountain, two Hamman and two mud baths.

The resort includes a floodlit walking track - all-important as the days grow shorter - or you can just get up earlier and head into the Slieve Bloom mountains.